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What Keeps You Young?

In the past two years, I was not surprised to find a number of things that keep me young. I am not suggesting that there are less lines on my face or I can take the stairs faster, just that my head is clearer and I’m am learning more about the world and myself.

First is water. I am notorious for ignoring thirst. I’m the kind of person who thrashes around in bed trying to avoid waking up for anything including water and bathroom breaks. If you keep a bottle of room temperature water where ever you go, you will drink it. Guaranteed. Generally, I am finding my head clearer and my furnace more efficient by drinking more fluids including herbal tea, water and, yes, juice.

Second is people. Interaction with people is crucial to staying young. I’m not shy, but I hate small talk and I tend to stay in small groups. So much of what we do is with the same old peers in large structured groups like charity events and house parties, but the real connection comes in small intimate groups of people unlike ourselves. For the past two years, I’ve taken on students from the local high school in their co-op program. Wrangling teens in a working environment has been my boon and my bane. It’s taken a tremendous amount of patience to set up and run a program that they can learn something and receive a mark for while also trying to run a business. The amazing part is what I’ve learned from them and how I’ve taken that knowledge into my costume business.

For example, this weekend I am taking my 23 year old daughter, my nephew and my students to Con-G in Guelph. This is essentially a large conference where young adults sell and buy, but mostly build and show off their costume creations for the fandom of their choice. Fandom being a character in a tv show, book, film, anime or comic book. Because of my students, I’ve connected with Underworld LARP [live action role playing] a business that provides structure for people who love all things Orcs, Elves in order to Run. Fight. Hide. For Underworld’s panel, I’ve designed four characters with make-up and costume and at 3:00 p.m. and 11:0 p.m. this old gal is dragging herself away from her cozy home office to body paint a Dark Elf, Jack Frost, a Faun and an Irish Banshee. Talk about getting out of your comfort zone.

The third thing I’m doing is Hatha Yoga, but not any class. It took me five years to find a guru, and I don’t mean a rock star in the social media vernacular, but a teacher who was more about the spirit of mind, body and soul than trying to give me a hard body. Through yoga, I am learning more about this connection and using fully the body I was given to do the things that I want in the time I have been given.